Ike Eisenhower was born #OTD 14 October 1890. Below is one of my favorite quotes. See the link for more insights from other prominent veterans on science, reason, and conservation. sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2024/11/10/i... Carpe Datum and Semper Sci! [Sgt Scholar Actual]

Clipper was launched 1 year ago and will arrive in 2030. One of Jupiter's moons, Europa, likely has vast oceans that *might* have life. 1/2 #NASA #SpaceExploration #Science #STEM

Another ghoul that haunts reasoning is the ad hoc rescue. See the link for more on what this is, is not, and more. sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2025/08/21/a... #CriticalThinking #Logic #Halloween

OTD in 1884, this badass was born.

Beware of frightful fake skepticism—the grim grave of reason. #CriticalThinking #Logic #Reason #Skepticism #Science #STEM

Our frightening fallacy series continues with the guilt by association fallacy. For more on what this fallacy is, is not, examples, and more, see the link. sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2019/07/20/a... #Halloween #Logic #CriticalThinking

Next on our Hallowen-themed look at fallacies is the ever-frightening fallacy fallacy. Sometimes, a conclusion is correct (or useful, good, viable, etc., depending on whether the argument is one of fact, definition, value, policy, etc.), but not because of that line of reasoning. #CriticalThinking

#OTD The physicist Niels Bohr was born (Oct 7, 1885). He is most famous for developing the Bohr model of atomic structure, for which he earned the Nobel Prize in 1922. So, I guess science didn't find his discoveries "Bohring." Did the joke fall flat? Well, pobody's nerfect. #science #STEM

Sure, the special pleading fallacy is a killer mistake, but I only used it to avoid the nightmare of losing an argument. Don’t let fallacies haunt your arguments. Critical thinking can cast them back to hell, where they belong. So, see the link for more. sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2020/07/08/s...

Some people say middle ground fallacies are spooky. Others say they’re spectacular. But they’re obviously spooktacular. In all seriousness, see the link to learn more about what this fallacy is, what it is not, and more. sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2023/06/06/m... #Logic #CriticalThinking #Halloween

I almost forgot to post this. #OTD in 1882, the OG rocket scientist, Robert H Goddard, was launched into this Earth and he spent the rest of his life trying to figure out how to get off this planet. (Can't blame him). 1/4

I'm sure nobody's going to make this fallacy. *slaps knee* sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2024/05/24/t... #Logic #CriticalThinking #Halloween

Learning to spot untestable claims pleases the spirit of Carl Sagan. Anyway, see the link for more on this group of fallacies. You're free to refuse, of course. But if you do, a star will blow up at an unspecified time and place. sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2024/06/04/a... #Halloween #Logic

Spooky for sure. While it's true that correlation ≠ causation, we can't just ignore every correlation... so... 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘦 confidently infer causation? The short answer is, "It's complicated." The longer answer? "It's most definitely cooompliiiiiiiiiicaaaaaated." 1/2

Fair winds, Dr. Goodall. *Raises glass* #Biology #Environment #GoodQuotes #Conservation #JaneGoodall

See the link for more on this error. Or don't. This is a social media post, not a command from Cthulu. You are free to continue doomscrolling. sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2024/07/02/b...

Don't let fallacies haunt your reasoning. For more on the uses and misuses of anecdotes, see the link. If you dare. sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2025/01/29/a... #CriticalThinking #Logic #Halloween

You can either learn more in the link or continue doom-scrolling in this haunted timeline. [Sgt Scholar Actual] sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2019/07/01/e... #Logic #CriticalThinking #Halloween

Just an FYI, per a 2024 DOJ/NIH report: Since 1990, far-right extremists have committed 227 ideologically motivated attacks that killed 520 people. Far-left extremists committed 42 attacks that killed 78. There are 4 takeaways that should go without saying, yet we still need to... 1/4

If my regular puns make you numb, then my math puns will make you number! Welcome to the infamous Zeno's Bar and Grille inside the Hillbert Hotel, where drinks come in Klein bottles made from constantly recycled Theseusian glass. *slaps knee* Oh, quit groaning and laugh. That's my "philosophy."

I read some comments perpetuating stereotypes about Marines. Stop assuming! Not all of us can afford top-shelf Crayola. Most of us can only afford CrayZArt with an occasional Top Ramen to accompany our Natural Light. I swear, all bad arguments on the interwebz rely on hasty generalizations. 1/1

We remember

I'll just leave this here.

Kirk promoted lies & violence to build Trump's authoritarian regime. But his murder is anathema to freedom and incites even more political violence. Worse, his odious words aren't dead; they're now martyred propaganda to metastasize Project 2025. I'm sad today. But I fear I'll hate tomorrow more.

Some so-called critical thinkers say we should avoid red herrings, but I say, what about the economy? sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2019/07/01/r...

Trump's propaganda pathetically spins his image as a tough "good guy" who plays by his own rules. But his flagrant power abuses reek of a desperation to distract us from his suspicious links in the wretched Epstein case. The victims deserve better. We deserve better. But don't take the bait. 1/4

I heard Hegseth now unofficially but officially self-identifies as the "Secretary of War." Real talk, this is an upgrade from his recent unofficial but official title, Triple Sec of Defense. But I get it. I prefer rebranding myself as "Meme Lord" instead of a "social media addict."

Listen Libtards, a shitty President is as American as apple pie. Is it Trump's fault that he excels at this fine tradition?! Is it his fault that he and his cabinet masterfully lowered the bar so low that it's looking up at Richard Nixon's casket?! THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER.

Understanding this fallacy/tactic requires opening a small can of philosophical worms, so read the link for more. Or don't. I ain't the manager of your free time, and you can't prove that I am! [Sgt Scholar Actual] sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2019/06/25/s... #CriticalThinking #STEM #science

This is a couple of years old, but it is still relevant given Florida's recent actions, and the core facts still hold up. Take a look. Or don't. I'm just some bloke promoting STEM and critical thinking. You don't have to take homework from me. sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2022/01/26/v...

This timeline is absurd

You may have heard about strawman arguments, where someone twists the argument/point of the opposition to be easier to attack. This tactic/fallacy is incredibly common in civics, politics, social issues, etc. sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2019/06/28/s...

SCOTUS was clear: burning the flag, however abhorrent, is free speech. Trump's order can't undo that, and folks may be tempted to burn one out of spite. But consider this. I'm **guessing** he wants videos of libs burning flags in the news to take attention off the Epstein case. Don't take the bait.

It is Hans Krebs's birthday, the Nobel Laureate who discovered the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle (also called the citric acid cycle, or Krebs cycle). For all those who had to memorize this beast (only to brain dump it), I salute you!

OTD in 1916, the US National Park Service was born. But the 1st national Park, Yellowstone, was created on March 1, 1872. Many more beautiful parks soon followed. These efforts were largely due to a growing public support for conservation headed by minds like John Muir and Teddy Roosevelt.

There are lots of ways to misunderstand cause-and-effect relationships. Below are some common fallacies that can lead to misperception and flawed arguments. I don't want to make a long thread, so if you'd like more material, please see the comments on my FB post. www.facebook.com/share/p/16e7...

The Punning-Kroger effect: When you think your dad joke skills are top-shelf quality, but they're actually cheap & generic imitations of humor.

Ad hoc rescue is when someone makes up BS reasons to "fix" the holes that were poked in their weak/wrong #argument. They use emergency motivated reasoning to save face, avoid accepting their position is wrong/weak, or at least avoid admitting they need to reconsider their position. 1/2

IYMI, after RFK Jr. falsely claimed some vaccines were too dangerous for kids, the American Academy of Pediatrics quickly said something like, "Yeah, no. Please ignore the brain worm and vaccinate your kiddos." To which RFK said, "They're shills." I'm paraphrasing, but that's the gist. 1/3

Revising history to match a convenient narrative is not new for the Authoritarian in Chief. But please know that neglecting our past moral failures increases the odds of future immorality. Fascism doesn't have to come with a name tag; it can sneak in disguised as "patriotism" and "order."

Before earning my science degrees, I once doubted human-caused #climatechange. Back then, arguments like this appealed to my right-leaning views. 1/10

I'm a #StarTrek fan, and today is the birthday of its creator, the late Gene Roddenberry. He gave us a positive vision of a potential future, and as a decorated WWII combat #veteran, he was no stranger to service. After 89 combat missions in the Pacific Theater, he attained the rank of Captain. 1/3

Semper Fi, sir.

To better protect our opinions, time, and money, it helps to know how we can be misled. One way is the 𝑨𝒓𝒈𝒖𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑭𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒚, and below are some of its subtypes. See the link for more details, examples, nonexamples, communication tips, and more. sgtscholar.wordpress.com/2019/06/30/a...

Remember: If we allow ourselves to fall into fatalism, or wallow in disappointment, or become resigned to what is rather than what should be, we will lose the long game. The greatest enemy of positive social change is cynicism about what can be changed.

Hi, it's been a while. Here are some fallacies & manipulative tactics to promote BS by deflecting evidence. Yes, these examples are simple, but by grasping the concepts, you can better arm your critical thinking skills to protect yourself from BS. 1/4 #criticalthinking #logic #STEM #science #logic

The main headline is misleading b/c the policy isn't specifically targeting Dems. Previously, VA patients & candidate staff were protected from discrimination based on political affiliation, marital status, and national origin. But those protections are now gone, including for conservative vets.

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